Author Topic: For gimbal dudes  (Read 18833 times)

Akira

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #30 on: October 28, 2016, 22:22:35 »
Here we go:
- The tripod plate, especially on older models, is just supported by friction and thru a single screw and it could pop-out, when carried on shoulder, throwing all the gear to the ground... ouch

You seem to have used a NatureScapes plate....
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

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MILLIREHM

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #31 on: October 28, 2016, 22:24:28 »
Excuse my ignorance as I don't own a gimbal but I always thought they were designed to aid in handling a lens that's too heavy to hand hold. I never thought photographers would try to use them for longish exposures in the danger zone but rather keep shutter speeds high while tracking moving subjects.

Well if you decide for a tripod head combination you usually dont carry replacement heads with you. And if you made high speed shots and then it dawns and the light gets low you try to make the best out of it

My longest lens is a 400/5.6 ED AI and I use it on a 2-way Sinar pan tilt head originally intended for an 8x10" view camera.

Thats not a lens that ideally combines with a gimbal head (where the head is heavier than the lens)
Wolfgang Rehm

PedroS

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #32 on: October 28, 2016, 22:48:09 »
You seem to have used a NatureScapes plate....

Correct Akira, well spotted  :)

PedroS

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #33 on: October 28, 2016, 23:07:48 »
Excuse my ignorance as I don't own a gimbal but I always thought they were designed to aid in handling a lens that's too heavy to hand hold. I never thought photographers would try to use them for longish exposures in the danger zone but rather keep shutter speeds high while tracking moving subjects.

My longest lens is a 400/5.6 ED AI and I use it on a 2-way Sinar pan tilt head originally intended for an 8x10" view camera.

Dave Hartman

Jack be gimbal, jack be quick... or so I've thought. :)

Yes, the gimbal was developed to aid in holding the heavy lenses, either long or not.
All gimbals work fine, except the cheap ones when they start to have bearing issues, if speed is way up. But then we are facing a dilema, at least for nature photographers. The strong light hours, where speeds can be kept high, are not good in terms of IQ, as you know. Is during the raise and dusk that the changes to achieve a great photo comes alive. But, and not to bring too much noise, the ISO has to be kept within well controlled levels, not same insane ones, that to make thee photo, the speeds went into the red zone. By red zone I mean below the gold standard (speed >= FL). Good technique (NOT the traditional long lens one) should be trained and practice until you can reach success around 1/125s for a 600mm lens. This takes time, dedication and a fluid head. Even some would say that this can be attained on a gimbal head, I would reply, "ok, try the very same doing BIF..."
Now you ask, and why not using VR?? VR is really helpful but it's not a miracle maker. I do use it, and I recommend that you try by yourself and see what you have to change in your technique to master it. From my experience VR is good to use between 1/125s (again this speed..) and 1/500s. New VR modules do well below 1/125s until, let's say 1/60s. But even with VR 1/60s on a long lenses, on a gimbal... good luck! The very same is much easier to achieve with a good fluid head. Bear in mind that sometimes, somehow, sooner than later, you will go below 1/60s to do that shot... when I found myself on this situation I don't touch the lens much, always use a release shooter, and do some bursts. Ahah, the bursts. Wont they induce more trouble than solutions? In fact, if you are shooting landscape please don't do it, but if you are catching wildlife, even if more or less still, try it. You could be amazed...

PedroS

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #34 on: November 08, 2016, 19:10:54 »
Here's the Dietmar sold by Berlebach
https://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=520&sprache=english

I like a lot Berlebach tripods, especially this one, even with it's two drawbacks, weight and height...
https://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=248&sprache=english

ArendV

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #35 on: November 08, 2016, 19:58:08 »
Here another Berlebach fan  ;D

When I still had a Nikkor 500/4P I used to own this Berlebach UNI 22 (shortened version) with a Benro Gimbal, no complaints on stability at all (but had a beach trolley to carry it around).


Now with a 300/4 as maximum focal length the Berlebach Report is enough for me (462/75 with levelling base) with one of their 2-way heads (551, current model is the 553). Plenty of stability, also with a Nikon 1 camera.


For travelling I have a more compact carbon tripod.
Arend

walterwhite21

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #36 on: February 17, 2020, 11:14:40 »
still using monopod...suggest some best gimbal for weddings

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #37 on: February 19, 2020, 19:46:09 »
still using monopod...suggest some best gimbal for weddings

What kind of use are you talking about, video? The previous posts in this thread discuss gimbals for long lens photography.

Ann

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #38 on: February 19, 2020, 20:28:26 »
It probably looks very odd but .  . .

I use a full Wimberley, mounted on top of a short monopod, when shooting wild life with a heavy D6 and a 400 or 500 mm lens from a small row-boat for an extended length of time.

I predominantly use very high shutter-speeds and high ISO to freeze subject movement so the monopod is simply releaving the weight of the equipment.

Erik Lund

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #39 on: February 20, 2020, 08:02:44 »
Congratulations on your new D6,,,  ;D
Erik Lund

Ann

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #40 on: February 20, 2020, 09:52:11 »
That's what wishful thinking will do?!
 ;D

Erik Lund

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #41 on: February 20, 2020, 13:51:34 »
Yes  ;D I know the feeling  8)

Please go find the new brochure on the D6 - It's amazing
Erik Lund

Ann

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #42 on: February 20, 2020, 23:00:33 »
I have been reading it . . . and the D6 is amazing.
 :)

MFloyd

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #43 on: January 06, 2021, 17:40:53 »
Hereunder my Really Right Stuff ballhead in “gimbal configuration”. May be somewhat less efficient than a gimbal, but it avoids having to take an additional heavy piece of equipment. And for Ann & Erik: with the extraordinary D6 attached  ;D


RSR Ballhead used as gimbal
Setup works up to 60 degrees without interfering with the tripod.
Γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Matthew Currie

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Re: For gimbal dudes
« Reply #44 on: February 10, 2021, 18:52:31 »
still using monopod...suggest some best gimbal for weddings

Wimberly makes a monopod gimbal.  It mounts to an Arca Swiss clamp.  Elsewhere in the "what the nerds do" section, I made a home-made version of this (neatened up a bit since that post) and it works quite well, though you do need a pretty sturdy head on the monopod.  Mine has a ball head that's hard to tighten. A tilt-only head would likely be a little better.

The monopod gimbal is not centered over the column, but this doesn't seem to cause a problem once you're used to it, but the sideways mount isn't ideal for a camera body.